| USA. State of Michigan acquires Blue Water Isles Wetland from Waste Management |
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| Tuesday, 25 April 2006 | |
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Environmental news: Local officials and outdoor enthusiasts celebrated the ceremonial handing over of a Lake St. Clair costal wetland known as the Blue Water Isles to the State of Michigan. Waste Management, Inc. purchased the 455-acre Blue Water Isles parcel as part of a wetland mitigation project and transferred ownership to the State of Michigan to expand the St. John's Marsh to the eastern shore of Lake St. Clair in Clay Township. Today's ceremony brought together wildlife enthusiasts, state and local officials and Waste Management officials to celebrate the transfer, which was actually approved by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission earlier in the year. "Today we are adding an important addition to the critical Lake St. Clair wetland system which preserves our water quality, sustains our fishery and cradles our waterfowl," said Bill Furtaw, a member of the board of directors, Michigan United Conservation Clubs and district eight chair. "This acquisition fulfills a dream which many of us have held for years." Ecologists and environmental stewards have long recognized the value of the Blue Water Isles as a unique part of Michigan's Great Lakes coastal wetlands. The ecology of Blue Water Isles is essentially a part of St. John's Marsh, and will now be preserved and protected from development. "The preservation of the Blue Water Isles realizes decades of hard work and dedication by DNR staff," said Mindy Koch, resource management deputy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). "This acquisition helps expand and preserve a jewel of Michigan's natural resources, the St. John's Marsh." The DNR has been working since the 1970s to purchase and preserve parts of St. John's Marsh. The DNR has purchased more than 2,400 acres of the wetland using state money and private donations. The Blue Water Isles acquisition is an important addition to St. John's Marsh, linking the marsh's property back to Lake St. Clair and preserving it in perpetuity. The marsh is part of the migration flyway used by ducks, geese and songbirds. "Waste Management is proud to affirm our commitment to preserving Michigan's natural resources," said John Meyers, compliance and engineering manager, Waste Management, Inc. "Future Michigan generations will be able to enjoy the Blue Water Isles property forever thanks to our successful partnership with the state." The Blue Water Isles shows us what much of Lake St. Clair's shoreline would have looked liked hundreds of years ago. The costal marshlands at the edge of the shore lead to prairies and finally into nearby woodland areas. "The preservation of this resource highlights the successful partnership between state government and private enterprise," said Steven Chester, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. "We are pleased to be a part of this effort to provide for a healthy environment, and a healthy economy." |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 April 2006 ) |
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